Commenting on my TdJ post on “American exceptionalsim”, Douglas Walker wrote, in part:
America is exceptional because it has nurtured a people who view the world as one of grandeur beyond the ability of mere mortals to comprehend. For this reason, the typical American tends to be anti-intellectual, in the best sense of the word. Pragmatic and forward looking in their view of the world, Americans are not seeking intricate theoretical explanations of philosophical notions about the nature of the world but simple practical ideas relevant to the problems of an active life.
Responding to Douglas, I wrote (in part):
Douglas, you seem to agree with de Tocqueville
Tags: Tea Party
I would like to remind readers that I do not agree with the entire content of every thought that I post. I would not, for example, classify Puritans as ‘intellectuals’, as Hofstadter (according to Lemann) did.